Post Hack Scrubs Contest - Hack Discussion

[caauyjdp]

If you happen to find a bug that's not already listed under
"Known Bugs" then please tell me (if possible before the contest ends). I'll update the hack if I can.

When you enter the bleach pool, there's a door to the left that leads into 1wide2tall room. That room has solid color background in front of everything if that makes any sense. Can only see where beam hits the walls, and bombs. To make things worse, you can't exit it by blindly going back to the right. Turning off BG layer 1 in bizhawk removes the "overlay", you'll be able to see samus, but not room itself. Based on sounds and breath bubbles samus is underwater, but physics says she's not. If you blindly find the exit from that room, bleach doesn't damage you anymore for some reason(might be intended). Being in bleach still looks terrible but that might be intended?

[Mar99troid]

If you happen to find a bug that's not already listed under
"Known Bugs" then please tell me (if possible before the contest ends). I'll update the hack if I can.

When you enter the bleach pool, there's a door to the left that leads into 1wide2tall room. That room has solid color background in front of everything if that makes any sense. Can only see where beam hits the walls, and bombs. To make things worse, you can't exit it by blindly going back to the right. Turning off BG layer 1 in bizhawk removes the "overlay", you'll be able to see samus, but not room itself. Based on sounds and breath bubbles samus is underwater, but physics says she's not. If you blindly find the exit from that room, bleach doesn't damage you anymore for some reason(might be intended). Being in bleach still looks terrible but that might be intended?

[spoiler]That's because you got gravity suit from being in the purple liquid. I'll make some changes to make it more clear that you get gravity from that.[/spoiler]

[andlabs]

[spoiler]Nope, I (someone different) didn't get Gravity Suit; the room is just a crash:



->



Room has Navigation Room music. This is mGBA 0.7-5168-5874235c.

Also am I permastuck? I only have Missiles and Power Bombs, no other upgrades, and two coolers (the other one being off-screen in the map above, on the bottom). I have a savestate in the first cooler room in the top left as well; I don't see a way back to the elevator.[/spoiler]

[caauyjdp]

[spoiler]That's because you got gravity suit from being in the purple liquid. I'll make some changes to make it more clear that you get gravity from that.[/spoiler]

[spoiler]I figured I got varia and gravity much later when I checked the menu, but the main problem is not being able to see in that room.

Found another issue that seems like a softlock. At the bottom of the elevator, once power bomb block are cleared. If you walk left to right, and hold right while falling through transition, you'll be stuck somewhere out of screen. If you do same but going right to left, you'll ledge grab on to something, and if you pull up you'll be stuck.

Also a minor tiling error in the first big bleach room. Barely noticeable normally, but visible during door transition and power bombs.
[/spoiler]

[Cpt.Glitch]

I'd keep posts related to these hacks in spoiler tags please. We don't want those looking to play the hacks blind seeing things! I have modified the former posts to contain them.

As for
[spoiler=My Thoughts on C.L.E.A.N.]Wow, I will say it was very clever to base the whole hack around the air conditioner event. That works surprisingly well for the non-linearity you were going for. The other concepts (such as the physics change based on area) was pretty neat. I am glad to see another hacker learning assembly and putting it to use! The hack was fun to play, and the story tied it all together! But as per the usual, there are some negatives. No saves. Why? This wouldn't be too big of an issue if your escape wasn't so trolly. You'd have players play the entire hack, only to die and have to redo literally everything. I really hate using save states, but I had to resort to using it because of the escape, and early on due to the difficulty. (the difficulty itself isn't bad, but the no saves makes it annoying.) The hack got better once I got past the grind at the start, but ended on a sour note because of the silly things you pulled in the escape. All in all, a gnarly hack that accomplishes the hacks theme. :) [/spoiler]

Also, make sure to post your hack to the main site when you can. 

[caauyjdp]

Known Bugs (nothing gamebreaking and no softlocks so far, phew):
[spoiler]
4.Ending Percentage:
I've hadn't had time to program a routine calculating the ending
percentage yet, so that would also be one thing to do. For now, if you got 28%,
you got everything.
   -699 Energy
   -85 Missiles
   -24 Power Bombs
[/spoiler]

[spoiler=couple other issues with C.L.E.A.N.S. [Version 1.0]]
Your maximum ending percentage in the post currently says 85 missiles, and 24 power bombs. I'm currently at 80 missiles and 26 power bombs. Could you recheck item totals?[spoiler=my guess at what was miscounted]You might have forgot to count power bombs in the starting room, since they're not marked on the map, which in itself might be counted as a bug.[/spoiler]

And another minor tiling error, in second big bleach room.

[/spoiler]
Also, sorry for insufficient spoiler tags in previous post(s).

[Mar99troid]

Known Bugs (nothing gamebreaking and no softlocks so far, phew):
[spoiler]
4.Ending Percentage:
I've hadn't had time to program a routine calculating the ending
percentage yet, so that would also be one thing to do. For now, if you got 28%,
you got everything.
   -699 Energy
   -85 Missiles
   -24 Power Bombs
[/spoiler]

[spoiler=couple other issues with C.L.E.A.N.S. [Version 1.0]]
Your maximum ending percentage in the post currently says 85 missiles, and 24 power bombs. I'm currently at 80 missiles and 26 power bombs. Could you recheck item totals?[spoiler=my guess at what was miscounted]You might have forgot to count power bombs in the starting room, since they're not marked on the map, which in itself might be counted as a bug.[/spoiler]

And another minor tiling error, in second big bleach room.

[/spoiler]
Also, sorry for insufficient spoiler tags in previous post(s).

[spoiler]
I've been recounting every item expansion. This is my result (counting in the starting room, which is not marked on the map by purpose. Very stupid, I know. I'll change that.)
-7 Power bomb expansions
-16 Missile expansions
-6 Energy tanks
Also all of those tiling errors are fixed in Version 1.1, will upload IPS soon.[/spoiler]

[spoiler=EDIT]
I'm currently at the end of Version 1.1 and I only have 24 power bombs. WTH. Where the hell did you get that last expansion from? Have I actually forgotten one? xD Could you tell me where you picked those up? (I did not change item placements in V1.1 BTW)
[/spoiler]
[spoiler=Final Edit]
You're right. I was being dumb, sorry! You're supposed to have 699 energy, 85 missiles and 26 pb's at the end.
[/spoiler]

[caauyjdp]

-Tiling errors in bleach pool and softlock in secret power bomb shaft fixed

[spoiler]Just started playing new version. Softlock I described is still there. I've noticed you changed the ledges in the room below, but I'm guessing that problem is a tile or two higher. Just powerbomb the tiles under the elevator, and walk on the floor holding the direction while you're falling.[/spoiler]

[Mar99troid]

-Tiling errors in bleach pool and softlock in secret power bomb shaft fixed

[spoiler]Just started playing new version. Softlock I described is still there. I've noticed you changed the ledges in the room below, but I'm guessing that problem is a tile or two higher. Just powerbomb the tiles under the elevator, and walk on the floor holding the direction while you're falling.[/spoiler]

[spoiler]Seriously? How do you fix that god damn thing? Damn it...
I'm on it.[/spoiler]

[spoiler=EDIT]Updated link. Try it now. Sorry for the inconvenience. :eyeroll: [/spoiler]

[caauyjdp]

[spoiler=about C.L.E.A.N.S. [Version 1.1]It's working properly now.
I'm still missing a missile somewhere, and [spoiler]starting room power bomb has vanished, but your totals say there's still same amount of power bombs, so maybe you've just moved it somewhere.[/spoiler]

A two minor things about the big plus shaped room after the boss. Getting out of it is somewhat random, there's like 1 tile wide window where it'll work correctly and you'll ledge grab in the room above, but if you do it too close to the wall, or too far from it, you' transition into the room above, but seemingly hit an invisible ceiling and transition back to the room below.

On the left side of the same room, "door" opening is 3 tiles tall, but door transition is only 2 tile tall, same as in the room it leads to. This makes you have to jump to enter that room, and when you exit it, you start 1 tile above the ground. You should probably make plus shaped room entrance 2 tile tall for consistency.

And a feature request, if you'll still be working on this after contest deadline. Could you please make puzzle room traversable backwards. Atm I have to either get suits, or have two energy tanks+grab one on the way to get to the bottom cleaner unit. Would be nice to have another way of entering that part of the map. Unless ofc there's already a way and I just haven't found it, or if you had a reason to make it one way. Nvm, found the way. I knew there was a reason for that path!
[/spoiler]

[andlabs]

[spoiler]That room is still solid purple for me.

I did figure out what to do with that first savestate in the top left corner of the ship, but I'm still not sure how I can get out of the Chlorox area once I get in...[/spoiler]

[Mar99troid]

[spoiler]That room is still solid purple for me.

I did figure out what to do with that first savestate in the top left corner of the ship, but I'm still not sure how I can get out of the Chlorox area once I get in...[/spoiler]
[spoiler]You're supposed to find the right way out of the purple room. While you're in it, you can't see your character. That's made by purpose. However, it's now easier to find the right way out, because I made it easier.Also Samus will gain the gravity effect slowly after a while instead of instantly.[/spoiler]

[andlabs]

[spoiler]Ah, so that is intentional. Thanks![/spoiler]

[caauyjdp]

[spoiler=eight bugs in Space Junk (version before 1.01)]
Stumbled on an odd map bug.
Room to the right from the first screenshot transports you to brinstar and corrupts the map while you're in there. Fixes itself when you leave the room.
[spoiler=images]


[/spoiler]

And just found a room with broken background, and those tiles probably shouldn't look like that.
[spoiler=images]


[/spoiler]

Draygon's room(at least after he's killed, and I've reentered boss room) transports you to maridia and corrupts the map, same as first bug listed in this post.

After entering and exiting the menu in charge beam room, water becomes non transparent, blocking the view(I think I've heard of same thing happening randomly in vanilla, but it's always the case here(tried over ten times)). Luckily room geometry is simple enough to find the exit blind which "fixes" the issue.

Detonating a power bomb in this room breaks palette/brightness for some reason. Although based on the few pixel wide "columns" on the right and left edge, palette might be normal, and it's just something in the foreground(that doesn't cover whole screen for some reason). Might be an emulator bug, I'm playing on Snes9X v1.53 for Windows. Also, going to menu and back doesn't fix it, leaving the room does.
[spoiler=images]


[/spoiler]

Crocomire's room does the same map corruption as Draygon. Haven't gone back to check if spore spawn did the same, but at this point I'm guessing all boss rooms do this. (I wonder if it's even avoidable without breaking the map into smaller pieces so they can reside in their native area and having elevators to transition.) Will stop reporting further boss room map corruptions from this point even if I encounter them.

After killing Crocomire, I exited back, through the door up, and after door transition Crocomire's music started playing for some reason. Didn't happen anymore after leaving that room, but still strange.

A lot of rooms during escape show up in wrong parts of the map. Some of them also do strange things if you return into them.
[spoiler=images]
Going back from the room with the ship makes a door appear

Going back to 2nd(?) room with rising lava through the door that should lead to the top of the room the puts you to the bottom morph tunnel exit, makes a door appear and also plants your feet into the ground.

[/spoiler]

Save before the last boss loads you with your feet stuck inside the bottom of the save "capsule".
[/spoiler]

[spoiler=five bugs and two oddities in Space Junk (version 1.02)]
After reentering spore spawn room a door appears at the top
[spoiler=images][/spoiler]

oddity: This room has a rapidly flashing red background from some reason(was same in original version too). I originally thought that it was meant as a warning, but after beating the game this doesn't seem to be the case. Might be intended, but if so, you could probably add epilepsy warning to be on the safe side.
[spoiler=images][/spoiler]

This room doesn't have a wall on the right side to prevent you from going offscreen. Also, top right part of the room near the door has something to prevent screen scrolling, and you can fall down without camera following you.
[spoiler=images][/spoiler]

During escape, I was exploring the room with the ship. Space jumped up the middle and went right and suddenly transitioned into a different room where I was out of bounds. Couldn't go back to left, explored blindly to the right and transitioned into 1st room that has rising lava during escape, again out of bounds afaik(no image). Died due to timer.
[spoiler=images]


[/spoiler]

Save near Crocomire loads you standing on air two tiles right from the save "capsule".

Tried to restart on a new slot, but ended up starting the game at a save station I used last on my main slot. Copying main slot to a different slot didn't change things. Saving at a different save station also resulted in new slot starting at that station.

oddity: Room with first supers apparently has the "security camera/eye"(one that watches morphball in vanilla) thing hidden in the ceiling. Odd thing is, it wasn't active at all on my first two playthroughs, and this time(was going for minimal items, had morph, bombs, two missiles, grapple, and 1 e-tank) it was active as soon as I entered the room(before collecting supers).
[/spoiler]


Sorry that I keep editing this post to add stuff, don't feel like making new post every time.

[Mentlegen]

Ing-ing presents...


SYMPHONY OF SOAP



The Ordinary City is under attack by the evil forces of spikes, bubble-sludge and vegetation.
Samus was doing her grocery shopping, when suddenly the bridge was out. Now she has to
fight through the city and clean it from the evil creatures, but more importantly, she
has to find a ship so that she can take her groceries home.

Something something blah blah hack ips

My boi, those are some Megaman X gfx lmao

[caauyjdp]

[spoiler=about SYMPHONY OF SOAP]
Ing-ing, why?
[spoiler=possibly a spoiler about mechanics]Also, is going out of spinjump pose to cap max speed an intended mechanic or an oversight?[/spoiler]
[/spoiler]

[Ing-ing]

[spoiler=about SYMPHONY OF SOAP]
Ing-ing, why?
[spoiler=possibly a spoiler about mechanics]Also, is going out of spinjump pose to cap max speed an intended mechanic or an oversight?[/spoiler]
[/spoiler]

It's supposed to be like that.

[caauyjdp]

[spoiler=possibly stuck in Symphony of Soap]
I went to revisit imago cocoon room, and there doesn't seem to be a way out if you go past crumble blocks(floor doesn't stay broken).
So I reset and continue from the save room just before that point, and try to go back, but there doesn't seem to be a way back through big room with water?
I got missiles, super, power grip, hi-jump and charge beam.
Do I need to restart or look harder?

edit: Restarted and beat it with 100% but... It was fun up to the first save room, and then it was just pain and bewilderment. I liked the new Imago look but that's about it. Sorry, I wanted to like this.
[/spoiler]

[Mar99troid]

[spoiler=about C.L.E.A.N.S. [Version 1.1]It's working properly now.
I'm still missing a missile somewhere, and [spoiler]starting room power bomb has vanished, but your totals say there's still same amount of power bombs, so maybe you've just moved it somewhere.[/spoiler]

A two minor things about the big plus shaped room after the boss. Getting out of it is somewhat random, there's like 1 tile wide window where it'll work correctly and you'll ledge grab in the room above, but if you do it too close to the wall, or too far from it, you' transition into the room above, but seemingly hit an invisible ceiling and transition back to the room below.

On the left side of the same room, "door" opening is 3 tiles tall, but door transition is only 2 tile tall, same as in the room it leads to. This makes you have to jump to enter that room, and when you exit it, you start 1 tile above the ground. You should probably make plus shaped room entrance 2 tile tall for consistency.

And a feature request, if you'll still be working on this after contest deadline. Could you please make puzzle room traversable backwards. Atm I have to either get suits, or have two energy tanks+grab one on the way to get to the bottom cleaner unit. Would be nice to have another way of entering that part of the map. Unless ofc there's already a way and I just haven't found it, or if you had a reason to make it one way. Nvm, found the way. I knew there was a reason for that path!
[/spoiler]

[spoiler]Sorry for late reply, but the last missile container can only be obtained on the secret ending route. The entrance to that route can be found earlier, but it is locked until the timer is triggered. If you got all the other items you'll get 29% on the ending screen (which is technically 100%). I won't tell you more. Good luck on finding the secret escape route!
Also the pb container has just been moved to a secret room nearby, simply because I don't want to place an item circle on the map but still not break the "rules". [/spoiler]

[caauyjdp]

[spoiler=about C.L.E.A.N.S. [Version 1.1]
Ty for info, it's always nice to know that what you're looking for is actually somewhere to be found.

Currently searching, and just noticed this way to get out of bounds in a puzzle room.
Apparently, floor under this pillar is only 1 tile thick, and that tile is a shoot block, same as the bottom of the pillar. Currently falling out of bounds.
[spoiler=image][/spoiler]

edit3: Not really a bug, but probably not intended.
Some zombie researchers seem to be very smart, and try to escape when the timer starts
[spoiler=images]
They evacuate this room

One of them gets stuck in the floor while escaping

Two find their way to this room

Haven't seen fourth one or the zero, but I'll guess that he wanted to save the animals, and carried zero to the ship.
[/spoiler]

edit: Found last pb.

edit2: 29%
I had suspicions about that map square because of how pb acted there, but wouldn't have found it if I didn't get that last pb. And this route doesn't require me to break my fingers.

Great hack by itself, and a great entry to the contest. Not sure how much I've played it total, but probably between 8-12 hours(restarted few times and tried to skip items). First hour was rough with me being bad and restarting at the ship, but the rest of it was highly enjoyable.

Thank you for making it.
[/spoiler]

[andlabs]

[spoiler=CLEANS stuff]Okay, I'm stumped. Where is the start of this ending path?[/spoiler]

[caauyjdp]

[spoiler=CLEANS stuff]Okay, I'm stumped. Where is the start of this ending path?[/spoiler]

[spoiler=reply]
Depends, if you need help finding regular ending path(which I doubt) then
[spoiler]bomb the floor near the right wall, in the room at the top of the elevator[/spoiler]
If it's the special ending, I really don't want to spoil it. You kind of have to pay attention to [spoiler]how screen is scrolling in some room(s), and if maybe odd x parasites are flying somewhere.[/spoiler]
[/spoiler]

[spoiler=Kind of hilarious thing doable in Space Junk(which might also be doable in vanilla, and I'm just being a newbie)]
On the path to gravity, charge and store a shinespark, enter gravity room, shoot the door open and do a horizontal shinespark to the left into the gravity suit(have a couple energy tanks).
[/spoiler]

[andlabs]

[spoiler]Yes, I'm referring to the normal path. I have no idea how to get back TO the elevator... I do know about that hole at the top of the elevator shaft, though.[/spoiler]

[caauyjdp]

[spoiler]Yes, I'm referring to the normal path. I have no idea how to get back TO the elevator... I do know about that hole at the top of the elevator shaft, though.[/spoiler]

[spoiler=reply]
Based on your old screenshot of the map

You either need to either go to top left corner of the left bleach room, and walljump into the ceiling in the same place where you originally came from. Then go left, up into next room, up, left through morph maze, up into other morph maze(you can fall into hole that teleports you for slightly easier time), bomb the ceiling in the middle, jump up, go right, jump up and bomb the ceiling, jump up again and go through the door to the right.

Or, you need to climb the low gravity shaft(remember that you can walljump from screen edges even if you don't see a wall there. It's not required, but easier that way), go into room to the left, and there is a way to get back from there.
[/spoiler]

[andlabs]

[spoiler]Yes, I'm referring to the normal path. I have no idea how to get back TO the elevator... I do know about that hole at the top of the elevator shaft, though.[/spoiler]

[spoiler=reply]
Or, you need to climb the low gravity shaft(remember that you can walljump from screen edges even if you don't see a wall there. It's not required, but easier that way), go into room to the left, and there is a way to get back from there.
[/spoiler]

[spoiler]Where is that? I have tried scaling every wall that path takes me to, but to no avail. Here's my current map:



As for the ceiling way: I probably should have thought of that :S I thought I would have needed Hi-Jump for that, but it seems like I don't, so I'll see if I have enough time to go back that way or not...[/spoiler]

EDIT[spoiler]yep, barely made it with that other route[/spoiler]